Weekly Opportunities – Febuary 23, 2015

Good morning, everyone. Please contact us anytime at activecitizen@tufts.edu with questions or to submit an announcement.

Tisch College and On-Campus Opportunities

Tufts University Forum on Race, Inequality and Action

February 25th, 9-12pm

Gantcher Center, Medford/Somerville Campus

All students, faculty and staff on the three Tufts campuses are encouraged to join together in exploring a range of critical issues surrounding race, inequality and action.

With significant campus and national activity in response to the Brown and Garner grand jury decisions, Tufts is committed to taking an academic approach to engaging its community. There is a need at the university and across the country to understand what has happened, how responses have varied across individuals and groups, what the critical underlying issues are, and what can be done to advance our society so that similar situations do not happen again.

With the active engagement of students, faculty and staff, we have organized this forum consisting of three panel discussions, each followed by a Q&A session. There are topics, disciplinary perspectives and voices that cannot be covered in this single event. The goal is to use this forum to initiate an ongoing conversation on these issues. (See list of future events.)

Applications for Tisch Summer Fellows (TSF) International will be posted by Wednesday, February 18. TSF International supports undergraduate, graduate and professional students working on creative, self-designed projects with an active citizenship theme. TSF provides financial support to help student groups bring their international initiatives to life. Visit the Tisch Summer Fellows web page for more details.

SENIORS: Join a Society for Active Citizens

Honos Civicus application live!Become a member of Honos Civicus Society and be recognized for your civic and academic achievements at Tufts. Honos Civicus provides an opportunity to celebrate and reflect upon a Tufts active citizenship education and the many paths students travel to develop their civic selves. Applications can be found at the link listed and will be accepted on a rolling basis until Monday, March 9, 2015 at 12pm.

Animals and people benefit one another in many ways that go well beyond the strong bonds that we have with our pets. Although there are many examples of the impact of human-animal interaction (HAI)—from seeing-eye dogs to therapeutic horseback riding, from therapy dogs helping children struggling to read to the healing power of an animal for someone recovering from a traumatic event—there is not yet the high quality, rigorous science that is necessary to advance this field using an evidence-based and interdisciplinary approach. The mission is to promote the health, strengths, and well-being of humans and animals through transdisciplinary partnerships that foster innovative research, education, and service programs in HAI.

Tisch College funding available for student activities which address issues of race and discrimination

Apply online today!

Recent events in Ferguson, Staten Island, and around the country have inspired a renewed wave of student activism aimed at addressing issues of race and discrimination. Recognizing the need for seed funding and advising to support this important work, Tisch College will make a number of mini-grants, through the Tisch Fund for Civic Engagement, to students and student groups working to have an impact on these issues.

The application and criteria for funding are the same as for the general Tisch Fund for Civic

Faculty/Staff Liaison Assistant – As an assistant to the Faculty/Staff Liaison, you will help coordinate and attend all F/S meetings. Coordination includes sending out reminder e-mails as well as formulating a schedule at the beginning of the semester. You will work under the guidance of the current LCS Faculty/Staff Liaison.

Assistant Greek / Athletics Liaison – As Assistant Greek Liaison, you will assist in building and maintaining relationships to the fraternities and sororities at Tufts and involve them in community service projects. You will work under the guidance of the current LCS Greek Liaison.

Assistant Publicity Director – The role of the assistant publicity director is to help spread awareness of LCS and LCS sponsored events around campus. This includes designing ads for campus publications and flyers to be hung around campus; posting events and ads on TuftsLife; designing LCS apparel and merchandise. This role is critical for the success of the organization and demands dedication to the organization.

Office Assistant – This is a work study position, which is only available to students on financial aid. As the office assistant, you will be a member of the directional staff, who volunteers at all of our events. You will also perform regular office tasks on your own schedule.

Tufts Microfinance and Community Development Seminar

During spring break (March 15-23), Tufts students have the unique opportunity to participate in an academic seminar with the organization Human Connections (or Conexiones Humanas) in Bucerias, Mexico. Human Connections, founded by Tufts class of 2011 alumna Elly Rohrer, offers several educational seminars throughout the year for college students. Tufts students will get the chance to learn about microfinance, small business development, and social entrepreneurship by working directly with clients and leaders in the community. Professor Grenier, who currently teaches the Microfinance class at Tufts through the ex-college, is the faculty sponsor and will lead Tufts students on the trip. Also, take a look at the Human Connections website: http://humanconnections.org/

Tufts Compass Fellowship—Application Open!

Learning, Opportunity, Social Entrepreneurship, Business, Sustainability, Community, Mentorship, Leadership” If any of these words rings a bell, check out Tufts Compass Fellowship! It’s a national fellowship program for first-year college students that provides mentorship, networking opportunities, and a supportive community to help you explore and pursue your passions, and develop your ideas into businesses that make a difference!

Moderated by Diane O’Donoghue, Senior Fellow for the Humanities, Tisch College

Professors Beaulieu and Eyl will discuss the impact of contemporary practices of knowledge production, such as found in the digital humanities and open- source scholarship, on the audiences and reception of classical and biblical texts. The Initiatives in the Public Humanities at Tisch College sponsors this series of monthly brown bag lunches during the spring semester of 2015. The Tisch Talks in the Humanities seek to identify areas of mutual interest and concern through conversations informed by contemporary civic and cultural practices. Light refreshments will be provided.

Guest Lecture: Professor Hahrie Han

March 12th, 1:30-4pm

Visiting PS 118-06, Eaton 204

Professor Hahrie Han of Wellesley College is the author of two important books published in 2014: How Organizations Develop Activists: Civic Associations and Leadership in the 21st Century and Groundbreakers: How Obama’s 2.2 Million Volunteers Transformed Campaigning in America (with Elizabeth McKenna).

Prof. Han will visit PS 118-06, “Community Organizing,” which is being taught by Danny LeBlanc and colleagues with the support of Tisch College. Visitors are welcome to this special class session!

Additional Active Citizenship Opportunities

IB Biology students at Josiah Quincy need volunteers!

The recent discovery of the teixobactin producing microorganism through use of the new culturing technology has many students highly interested in their projects, and a recent proposal from the Tufts sequencing center means that the students might be able to genotype the bacteria they discover, and possibly find a novel JQUS bacteria for whole genome sequencing, which would provide the platform for Josiah Quincy IB class research for years to come.

The nature of this IA lab design and follow through is that the teacher cannot be guiding the students beyond a point. Since the rules say that help from outside sources (parents, etc) is not forbidden, and since we have the generous gift of support from an elite science research institution, this means that your help gives our students a tremendous boost. All levels of help are a huge boon to our student’s success: from helping them to come up with improvements to their experimental design, to proofreading their hypothesis statements, to helping them analyze confusing data, and making suggestions for follow-up experiments. Some volunteers last year came for one 45 minute period and some came multiple days in a row. Some worked with many students, and some mentored a single student.

If you can commit to helping the seniors at JQUS sometime in the next three weeks, send an email to Ian Warner at iwarner@bostonpublicschools.org. In-person support would be preferred at the time of IB classes during the week school hours), or Ian will connect potential mentors who are not able to join them on campus with a student who is eager to get some personalized help via email. Please contact Mr. Warner with any further questions.

Medford & Somerville High Schools seeking SciFair Judges

Beginning this week! Fairs on Feb. 26th, March 5th & 14th

Medford & Somerville High Schools are asking for assistance to help judge the student Science and Engineering projects at both their local Science and Engineering Fairs and the Region IV High School Science Fair. Tufts students are encouraged to come and volunteer for any duration of the following events that they can. These events are scheduled for:

1. On Thursday, February 26thMedford High School will host its Annual Science and Engineering Fair. The judging is scheduled from 8:00 am – 10:30 am with Public Viewing from 10:30 am – 11:10 am and an Awards Assembly from 11:10 am – 11:46 am.

2. On Thursday, March 5th Somerville High School will host its Annual Science and Engineering Fair. The judging is scheduled from 8:30 am – 11:30 am and an appreciation lunch will be provided from 11:45 am – 12:30 pm in the Highlander Café.

3. The Massachusetts Region IV High School Science Fair, sponsored by Somerville Public Schools, will be held on Saturday, March 14th from 9:00 am – 11:30 am. In the past, President Monaco has attended the fair and presented the Tufts award to the highest scoring Medford/Somerville student.

As always, the Medford and Somerville Science Departments truly appreciate our effort and assistance each year with these celebrations of Science and Engineering in our local schools. These fairs are an excellent opportunity to get involved in promoting science education in the community and schools by supporting and encouraging student participants while judging the student projects.

Any time that you are able to offer would be greatly appreciated even if you are unable to attend for the duration on any of these fairs. If you are interested in judging student projects at any of these events, please contact Karen O’Hagan at karen.ohagan@tufts.edu or call 617-627-3729.

Apply for a Laura W. Bush Traveling Fellowship

Applications due TODAY, February 23rd

The State Department is currently accepting applications to help fund innovative travel around the world by young people who use education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and/or communication and information to build strong ties among nations. The fellowship is intended for American college students who have not been afforded many opportunities to travel abroad. Through 4 to 6 weeks of travel anywhere in the world, you can have the opportunity to interact with individuals from other nations while promoting the goals of UNESCO! Applications are accepted until February 23. For full details, go to bit.ly/statedeptfellowship

Returning Life to the Aberjona

Thursday, March 5th

7pm, Winchester Public Library

Please join MyRWA and Sustainable Winchester for an evening about blueback and alewife herring! We’ll provide an update on the possibility of installing a fish ladder at the Center Falls dam and the results of a two-year herring habitat study of the Aberjona River conducted by the Mystic River Watershed Association and funded by the En Ka Society. There will also be a presentation about the possibility of day-lighting the Aberjona River. We’ll conclude the evening by screening a short film, “The Mystic Herring Run: The Return of 2012 and Beyond” by Shervin A. Arya.

Find out more and REGISTER for this (free) event here – space is limited!

Join us to celebrate the launch of Interpreting Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites, a new book from Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Editors Kristin Gallas and James DeWolf Perry, of the Tracing Center on Histories and Legacies of Slavery, will be on hand to talk about why the history of slavery in the United States is important and relevant to our communities, how historic sites and museums can facilitate the sharing of these stories, and how they tie into vital contemporary public debates.
Copies of Interpreting Slavery at Museums and Historic Sites will be available for purchase and signing after the talk. Please note that the museum accepts cash or checks only for purchases.
There will be no admission fee for this special event.

Run, walk or paddle for the fish! Mark your calendars for the 19th annual Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle for Sunday, May 17th. This year’s events will once again include a 5K run/walk on a flat course along the Mystic River and a 3, 9 and 12 mile paddling race. All events begin and end at the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse in Somerville. Registration is open and we are seeking volunteers to help the day go smoothly!

Alternatives to Communities and the Environment Presents: Jammin’ For Justice

Thursday, May 21, 2015

6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley Street, Roxbury

ACE’s annual celebration of environmental justice victories, JAMMIN’ FOR JUSTICE, will take place this year on Hibernian Hall in Roxbury! Mark your calendar and join to enjoy food, drinks, music, dancing, silent auction and the company of friends and environmental justice champions! There is so much to celebrate and a lot to look forward to, so don’t miss it!

If you would like to help out organizing this event with us by serving on our Jammin’ 15 Committee, please email John or call (617) 442-3343 x231.

Apply: Government Affairs Intern position at MAPC, Boston

Applications being accepted for Government Affairs Intern

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) seeks an intern to work in the Government Affairs department of its Boston office. Duties include: Working with department staff to advance the agency’s legislative agenda at the State House and on Capitol Hill; Participating in program activities related to agency initiatives, potentially to include youth violence prevention, climate change adaptation, and more; Conducting research and drafting policy documents on a range of subjects that may include transportation, environmental, and municipal finance issues.

Required qualifications: Currently an undergraduate or graduate student in public policy, law, public administration, planning, or related field; Excellent written and verbal communication skills; Familiarity with the legislative process; Excellent research skills; Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; Literacy in computer software including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint; Ability to commit at least 20 hours per week to this internship.

How to Apply: Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the USA and a valid driver’s license and/or the ability to arrange transportation to meetings in different parts of the region. MAPC is an EOE/ AA employer. Diverse candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Position open until filled; Review of applications will begin immediately.

PLEASE NOTE: Only candidates currently enrolled in an academic program will be considered for this position. This is a paid position without benefits. Salary depends on qualifications. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and three references. View the complete job ad and link to application at www.mapc.org (Jobs at MAPC). Posted by Thomas E. Hauenstein, Operations Manager, MAPC.

SENIORS: Boston Mobilization seeking full-time Deputy Director!

Boston Mobilization is a grassroots 35-year old nonprofit that supports youth-led social justice efforts through anti-oppression training, education, organizing and consulting. This is a vibrant space where young people from Greater Boston come together to build relationships, learn about social justice, collaborate on organizing campaigns, develop leadership skills and have fun!

Boston Mobilization is seeking a full time deputy director to support our continued organizational growth. This position represents a significant leadership role for an entrepreneurial and experienced leader in social justice movements and organizations. The Deputy Director is responsible for enhancing the internal organization and infrastructure necessary for Boston Mobilization’s continued success and growth and for stepping into program roles as a facilitator, youth worker, popular educator and organizer.The vision is for this person to eventually move into the executive director role.

An ideal candidate should be able to both think broadly and strategically about our work, move with agility between hanging out with teens, nonprofit administration, and envisioning alternatives to the racism, capitalism and violence of our current world and also be detail oriented and organized about the implementation and structures necessary to move our vision into reality. Position calls for working in close collaboration with the executive director and with other youth and adult program staff.

Circle the Square, Medford’s summer street festival series, will be returning for its fourth season this summer with music, art, activities and other free entertainment throughout Medford Square for people of all ages. Events will be held in and around Medford Square on the afternoon of the third Thursday of each month from June through August.

We are seeking interns who are interested in learning about the ins and outs of running a public festival, and who can assist us with coordinating the details of our events. Interns would attend planning meetings, help to develop programming, contact businesses, artists and performers to participate, and assist with organization and set-up on the day of each event. This is an unpaid position.

Applicant qualifications:

– Able to commit 3-5 hours per week, from late April/early May through August, plus availability on the dates of our events (June 18, July 16 and August 20).

– Applicants with an interest or experience in arts and culture, community development, arts management, and/or festival production preferred.

SENIORS: Learn about the Immigrant Justice Corps Community Fellowship program!

Fellows will be trained by Immigrant Justice Corps at the start of their fellowship and will meet biweekly throughout the course of the fellowship for professional development, skills training, and support. Community Fellows will be deeply networked in the legal and immigrant rights community and profoundly committed to developing creative strategies to fight poverty and ensure access to justice.

Community Fellowships run two years and are available to students who are completing their undergraduate degrees and are committed to immigrant justice. They will be placed in community-based host organizations throughout New York City.

Community Fellows will become accredited representatives of the Board of Immigration Appeals. They will conduct outreach and intake around the city, and assist immigrants with a range of cases such as naturalization and adjustment applications, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and more.

Sophomores: Apply to be a Mount Vernon Leadership Fellow in summer 2015!

The Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows program is a fully paid, five and a half week summer residential program for rising juniors who desire to make a difference. The program invites rising third-year students from diverse academic disciplines to join us near Washington, D.C. to immerse themselves in a leadership development program inspired by George Washington and today’s foremost leaders. This select, small cohort will engage in dynamic leadership education curriculum, interact with nationally recognized corporate, government, and military leaders in the nation’s capital; and discover how to change the world through self-reflection, exciting experiential activities, and a community service-focused capstone project.

Students founded PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) over 40 years ago, based upon the simple idea that America has more problems than we should tolerate, and more solutions than we use. When you become an Organizer with the Student PIRGs, you’ll recruit, train and organize students to tackle these problems head-on. You’ll teach them to run campaigns that make a difference in their community and our country, and help develop them into leaders who can continue to make an impact years after they graduate. For more information, visit http://www.jobs.studentpirgs.org/

Apply for a job with Impact

Impact is a campaign team that works in states where we can win positive change on issues like global warming, clean water, and the influence of big money in politics. And we’re hiring! We’re looking for graduating seniors to join our team of campaign organizers and hiring current students for internships this spring and summer. If you are serious about making an impact on these issues and would like to get out and work in the real world, where issue campaigns like these are won and lost, then Impact is the group for you. To learn more, visit the website at www.weareimpact.org!

Apply for an Internship with Impact

Impact partners with Environment Massachusetts, MASSPIRG and Fair Share to run field campaigns on issues like global warming, clean water and the influence of big money on our democracy.

If you want to make an impact on this issue or others mentioned above, applyto be an Impact intern TODAY. As an intern, you¹ll help educate and engage more students and citizens on this issue. You¹ll help us get the issue into the media, build coalitions, organize events and apply pressure to corporations to do the right thing. You can read more about our internships on our website: weareimpact.org/internship-apply.html

And if you¹re graduating this year: you can also apply to be an Impact Campaign Organizer.­ It is a full-time, two-year program that¹s all about winning concrete, lasting change in our country. You can read more about becoming a campaign organizer on our website: weareimpact.org.

Apply for Global Engagement Summit 2015!

April 15-19th | Northwestern University

GES is a five-day capacity-building summit for students committed to social change in their communities and around the world. Accepted delegates come together to develop the skills to better plan, execute, and participate in change-based projects. GES focuses not only on the “what” and “how,” but also challenges delegates to think critically about the goals, impact, and broader implications of their project.

Check out the brochure and video for a glimpse into the experience you could have as an American Delegate. Visit theges.org for more information.

SENIORS: Green Corps is looking for college graduates for their year-long program!
In Green Corps’ yearlong paid program, you’ll get intensive training in the skills you need to make a difference in the world. You’ll get hands-on experience fighting to solve urgent environmental problems — global warming, deforestation, water pollution, factory farming and many others — with groups like Sierra Club and Food & Water Watch. And when you graduate from Green Corps, we’ll help you find a career with one of the nation’s leading environmental and social change groups.

This teacher training program was recently recognized by US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for its innovation. Program participants receive training on how to become highly effective first-year teachers (there is a near 100% placement rate in high performing urban schools). In addition, teacher residents receive housing and a living stipend while completing their Master’s. The teacher residency is only available in Boston, but there are tutoring opportunities (for those just looking to do an urban education gap year) also available in Boston.

We’re looking for seniors who either (1) want to spend a year working closely with students in Boston while training to be a teacher, OR (2) want to spend a year in Boston working closely with students before heading off to grad school or another career. You can contact our recruiting team directly at Recruiting@MatchEducation.org.

Announcing Global Hangouts

Americans for UNESCO, GenUN, Global Changemakers, Young Professionals In Foreign Policy, and other partners from around the world are excited to announce the launch of Global Hangouts. Global Hangouts is a new initiative to connect young people across the globe to discuss pressing international issues. You’ll be matched up with a young person from a different country to talk about education, culture, health care, youth political engagement, and related topics. More than 500 people from more than 75 countries have already signed up – join them! Whether you’re looking for support starting an international advocacy project or you just want the opportunity to expand your perspective on important global issues, Global Hangouts are a great way to connect with people all over the world. To learn more and sign up, visit: http://www.globalhangouts.org/Within a few weeks of signing up, you’ll receive an email with your match. Questions? Contact youthglobalhangouts@gmail.com.